Recaps

Moriyue was assigned to Kumogakure’s Research Group after Yugito Nii reported the Akatsuki Organization’s suspected massacre of Takigakure and its pursuit of Jinchuriki. Yugito warned Moriyue that he might soon be sent after Akatsuki and encounter old acquaintances from Konoha.

• Moriyue’s parasitic tentacles evolved inside the black-clad researchers as they absorbed Chakra, and the fascinated men left to study them.
• Yugito Nii thanked Moriyue before the Raikage returned with Killer B and beat him for his disrespectful rap.
• Yugito Nii told the Raikage that the Akatsuki Organization had likely massacred Takigakure and taken a powerful energy source.
• The Raikage told Moriyue to join the Research Group because Yugito Nii had praised him and he wanted to study forbidden techniques.
• Yugito Nii told Moriyue that Kumogakure might send him to pursue the Akatsuki Organization, where he could meet old acquaintances from Konoha.

Moriyue visited the Research Institute after Ando warned him that some of its members were dangerous. There, he encountered the doctor who had modified him and discovered that the man was Orochimaru.

• Yugito Nii teased Moriyue, and he went to check on Kaede, who was training through her grief.
• Kazeki Zero told Moriyue she would keep up with him, then kissed his cheek and ran off.
• Ando warned Moriyue to be careful around the Research Group and shared information he had learned from Darui.
• Moriyue entered the underground Research Institute and encountered the doctor who had once modified him.
• The doctor shed his disguise, revealing golden vertical pupils, and Moriyue recognized him as Orochimaru.

Moriyue fought Orochimaru, who was fascinated by his body and attacked him with snakes and the Kusanagi Sword. Orochimaru escaped before the guards arrived, leaving Moriyue to continue toward the research institute wary of their next encounter.

• Orochimaru shed his disguise and attacked Moriyue without explaining his intentions.
• Moriyue slashed Orochimaru, but Orochimaru emerged from a giant snake and then attacked with the Kusanagi Sword.
• Moriyue used his tentacles to pierce the snake and block Orochimaru's sword, anticipating his attacks.
• Orochimaru praised Moriyue's body and dispersed into snakes before the approaching guards arrived.
• Moriyue concealed Orochimaru's presence from the guards and continued toward the research institute, determined to grow stronger.

Moriyue studied Shadow Clone Jutsu research at the Research Institute and developed a new approach for making multiple low-Chakra clones, including clones that did not need to look human. After drafting a framework for the technique, he planned to test it and tentatively named it the Sea of People Jutsu.

• Moriyue entered the Research Institute and discovered its scrolls were familiar Ninjutsu Cave materials with additional annotations.
• Moriyue read research on Shadow Clone Jutsu and considered how clones could return their learned knowledge to the original body.
• Moriyue reasoned that studying clones might need less Chakra than combat clones and questioned why they had to resemble him or be human.
• Moriyue used his prior experience and research to work through the technique's design problems and drafted a framework for producing multiple clones.
• Moriyue decided to test the technique later and named it the Sea of People Jutsu if it succeeded.

Moriyue successfully tested the Sea of People Jutsu, creating many smaller clones to study and help with experiments while worrying that Orochimaru had come for him. After using the jutsu again and falling asleep, he awoke in a strange dreamlike scene and suspected the Sheep Talisman was responsible.

• Moriyue tested the Sea of People Jutsu and created numerous smaller clones, then dismissed them after confirming the technique worked.
• Moriyue worried that Orochimaru had targeted him and decided he needed to prepare to protect himself and secure Orochimaru's inheritance.
• Moriyue summoned a large group of clones in his room, gave them scrolls to study, and fell asleep exhausted.
• Moriyue awoke on a steel throne in a dreamlike setting surrounded by his allies, the Otsutsuki, and kneeling white-haired figures.
• Moriyue found the Black-faced Sheep asleep beside him and wondered whether the Sheep Talisman had brought him into the dream or an illusion space.

Moriyue used the Sheep Talisman to enter Kazeki’s dream, where he unexpectedly interrupted a romantic scene between her and a dream version of himself. He then entered Yugito Nii’s dream and found himself caught by a far more assertive version of her.

• Moriyue floated through Kumogakure as a soul while carrying the Black-faced Sheep.
• Moriyue entered Kazeki’s dream and hid in a wardrobe as she arrived with a boyfriend who looked like him.
• Moriyue startled Kazeki and her dream boyfriend by jumping out of the wardrobe, then escaped as the dream began to shake.
• Moriyue entered Yugito Nii’s dream and appeared directly in front of her.
• Dream Yugito Nii covered Moriyue’s mouth and said she had finally caught him.

Moriyue was trapped in Yugito Nii's dream, where her feral side overwhelmed him until Black-faced Sheep pulled him out. He returned to his room, while Yugito Nii woke with only a vague sense that she had enjoyed a pleasant dream.

• Yugito Nii handcuffed Moriyue and, appearing increasingly like the Two-Tails, pinned him as her beastly nature took over.
• Black-faced Sheep woke, found Moriyue and Yugito Nii, and charged toward him despite the scattered blue flames.
• Moriyue used the brief opening to let Black-faced Sheep ram his arm and pull him out of the dream.
• Moriyue returned to Yugito Nii's room, hurried back to his own, and sent his curious clones away to study.
• Yugito Nii woke feeling well rested but could not remember her dream, which she sensed had been pleasant.

Moriyue and Yugito Nii discovered that Kakuzu and Hidan had come to capture the Two-Tails Jinchuriki. Yugito Nii prepared to confront them outside the village, with Moriyue leading the way.

• Moriyue followed his routine of researching forbidden jutsu and experimenting with the Sheep Talisman while Orochimaru remained absent.
• Moriyue sensed killing intent while gathering herbs with Yugito Nii and sent a tentacle into the forest to investigate.
• Moriyue identified Kakuzu and Hidan, who discovered and destroyed his scouting tentacle.
• Kakuzu and Hidan discussed targeting Yugito Nii and recalled their earlier clashes with Cloud Shinobi.
• Moriyue told Yugito Nii that the Akatsuki members were after her, and she ignited her pale blue flames and asked him to lead her to them.

Moriyue and Yugito Nii ambushed Kakuzu and Hidan, then pressed the attack after their opening strikes failed to defeat the Immortal Duo. Moriyue charged Kakuzu with strange, living tentacles, leaving Kakuzu recoiling at the sight.

• Moriyue secretly charged an Electromagnetic Cannon and blasted Kakuzu and Hidan from behind.
• Yugito Nii followed the blast with three Rat Orbs, which struck the pair inside the smoke.
• Hidan cleared away the smoke with his scythe, revealing that both he and Kakuzu had survived the attacks.
• Moriyue sprouted black, eye-covered tentacles and charged Kakuzu, who was unsettled by the monstrous sight.

Moriyue and Yugito Nii fought Kakuzu and Hidan, using their abilities to keep the Akatsuki members at bay. Moriyue tore a still-beating heart from Kakuzu and said the punch was for Kaede.

• Yugito Nii dodged Hidan's scythe, slashed his chest with her flaming claws, and burned him with a Great Fireball Technique.
• Hidan flew into a spinning scythe attack, forcing Yugito Nii to keep her distance and use long-range ninjutsu.
• Moriyue's tentacles drained Kakuzu's Chakra and swallowed the mask on his shoulder before Kakuzu pulled away.
• Moriyue created bloated clones that exploded, then used the blast as cover to punch Kakuzu in the back and tear out one of his hearts.
• Moriyue held Kakuzu's still-beating heart and said the punch was for Kaede.

Moriyue fought Kakuzu and Hidan until Yugito Nii transformed into the Two-Tails and struck Kakuzu with a Tailed Beast Bomb. Moriyue took Hidan’s scythe attack to protect Yugito Nii, but Hidan activated Blood Death Art and used Moriyue’s blood to injure him from afar.

• Moriyue crushed one of Kakuzu’s hearts, and Kakuzu pinned him down while gathering a powerful multi-attribute attack.
• Yugito Nii transformed into the Two-Tails and countered Kakuzu’s attack with a Tailed Beast Bomb, leaving Kakuzu badly weakened.
• Hidan attacked as Yugito Nii struggled to control her transformation, and Moriyue kicked her clear but was struck in the back by Hidan’s scythe.
• Hidan activated Blood Death Art and explained that it transferred injuries to his target, then threatened Yugito Nii into surrendering.
• Kakuzu emerged with only one heart remaining, and Hidan pierced his own palm, causing Moriyue’s palm to bleed as well.

Moriyue survived Hidan’s Blood Death Art and revealed that his Reversal technique could reflect its damage back onto Hidan. As Yugito Nii fought Kakuzu, Moriyue began wearing down Hidan’s immortality with his own regeneration and a lightning-charged coin.

• Yugito Nii agreed to go with Kakuzu and Hidan so Moriyue might be spared, but Moriyue objected and admitted he had lied about Blood Death Art.
• Hidan took Moriyue’s words as an insult to the Evil God and stabbed his own heart to kill him, but Moriyue survived after strange energies protected him.
• Hidan repeatedly stabbed himself in disbelief, and Moriyue used Nintaijutsu: Reversal to reflect the damage back onto him.
• Yugito Nii attacked Kakuzu while Moriyue approached Hidan, who was trapped inside his ritual circle and grew desperate.
• Moriyue activated Super Regeneration and charged his coin with lightning, intending to wear down Hidan’s Evil God energy and immortality.

Moriyue defeated Hidan while Yugito Nii subdued Kakuzu, but both fighters were left badly injured. As Moriyue recovered in the hospital, he explored his sealing space and discovered three strange eggs and a notebook from the Black-faced Sheep's dream.

• Yugito Nii defeated the wounded Kakuzu and pinned him to a rock wall with several Katana.
• Moriyue's attacks and Nintaijutsu: Reversal overwhelmed Hidan, while Moriyue suffered severe injuries and collapsed into Kazeki's arms.
• Kaede and the Cloud Shinobi arrived after the battle, and Kazeki used Medical Ninjutsu to treat Moriyue as Kaede approached the subdued Kakuzu.
• Moriyue entered his sealing space, where he found three patterned eggs, obedient tentacles, and a damaged notebook associated with the Black-faced Sheep's dream.
• Moriyue awoke in his private hospital room beside Kazeki and Yugito Nii, and a nurse asked how he felt.

After recovering from the battle, Moriyue went to interrogate Hidan and Kakuzu so he could obtain their forbidden techniques. He left the interrogation room with a scroll containing Blood Death Art.

• Moriyue woke up and asked where Kakuzu and Hidan had been taken, while Yugito Nii thanked him for saving her.
• Yugito Nii thanked Kazeki for sharing her Chakra with Moriyue, and the little nurse warned him to rest.
• Moriyue went to the interrogation room, where Ando warned him about Kaede's brutal treatment of the captives.
• Moriyue found Kaede torturing Hidan and Kakuzu, then sent her to rest so he could question them himself.
• Moriyue interrogated Hidan and emerged with a scroll containing Blood Death Art.

Moriyue returned to the hospital with gifts for Kazeki and Yugito Nii, and Yugito Nii broke down crying before he comforted her. He carried her home and left her asleep, with a faint smile on her face.

• Moriyue told Kaede to keep the tentacle man alive and let her handle Hidan, then avoided explaining his interrogation methods to Ando.
• Moriyue brought Medical Ninjutsu scrolls for Kazeki, milk for Yugito Nii, and the Lightning Torment scroll for Ando.
• Darui teased Moriyue about his relationship with Yugito Nii before leaving with Ando.
• Yugito Nii laughed and cried after receiving the milk, and Moriyue embraced her as she released years of grief.
• Yugito Nii fell asleep in Moriyue's arms, and he carried her home and tucked her into bed.

Moriyue studied Blood Death Art and decided to summon the Evil God so he could capture or take its power rather than worship it. He left the ritual underway in the research institute, offering his own tentacles and a piece of his appendix as sacrifices.

• Moriyue learned that Blood Death Art linked its user to a target through blood and that the Evil God demanded sacrifices in exchange for immortality.
• Moriyue rejected becoming the Evil God's servant and ordered his clones to share their knowledge of the Evil God and souls before absorbing the few who had studied them.
• Moriyue reasoned that the Sheep Talisman's soul powers might let him touch or capture the Evil God.
• Moriyue sacrificed several multiplying tentacles and a piece of his appendix, then drew a ritual pattern in blood at the research institute.
• Moriyue acted like a frenzied believer and called on the Evil God to appear and accept his sacrifice.

Moriyue summoned the Evil God and attacked it with chains empowered by the Sheep Talisman, despite the deity’s attempts to kill him. The Evil God was forced to leave after marking Moriyue, who survived with a weakened soul but gained abundant, mixed soul energy.

• The Evil God sensed Moriyue’s strange sacrifice and descended after the flesh offering evaporated.
• Moriyue feigned devotion as the Evil God prepared to leave its mark on him.
• Moriyue attacked the Evil God with chains carrying the Sheep Talisman’s power, injuring its soul body.
• The Evil God tried to kill Moriyue, while Moriyue dragged off part of its soul to replenish his own.
• The Evil God was forced to depart after leaving a mysterious mark on Moriyue, who survived and felt pleased with the soul energy he had gained.

After surviving the Evil God’s ritual, Moriyue was confronted by Orochimaru and persuaded him to cooperate by offering information about Sasuke, Itachi Uchiha, and Kabuto. Moriyue left the Research Institute with a plan to pretend to join the hunt for Orochimaru and meet Sasuke and Naruto.

• Orochimaru tried to bite Moriyue, but stopped when he sensed the Evil God’s mark and noticed the ritual array remnants.
• Moriyue offered Orochimaru an opportunity to uncover the truth and shared part of his plan, making Orochimaru consider an alliance.
• Moriyue and Orochimaru agreed to cooperate without either placing a mark or otherwise securing the other’s trust.
• Moriyue left the Research Institute after sunrise and planned to rendezvous with the other squads and hunt down Orochimaru as a cover.
• Moriyue looked forward to meeting Sasuke and Naruto, whose importance made them central to his alliance with Orochimaru.

Moriyue and Yugito Nii prepared to join the operation against Orochimaru, while Kaede decided to search for the surviving villagers of Takigakure. As the group prepared to leave Kumogakure, Ajisai waited outside the village, hoping to ambush Moriyue.

• Kaede told Moriyue that some villagers from Takigakure had survived and said she would leave to find them.
• Moriyue agreed with Kaede's decision and said his group would soon set out.
• Yugito Nii explained that she, Moriyue, and Kazeki would join the operation to surround and eliminate Orochimaru, with Kaede traveling with them for a while.
• Yugito Nii ordered everyone to prepare supplies and gather in ten minutes.
• Ajisai sensed Moriyue might be leaving Kumogakure and readied herself to use the traps she had prepared.

Moriyue arrived in Konoha with Kazeki and met Naruto, Jiraiya, and Sakura while preparing for a joint operation to hunt Orochimaru. After Yugito Nii and Kaede departed, Moriyue used the Sheep Talisman to leave his body and entered Tsunade’s dream, where he saw her as a young woman waiting by a river.

• Moriyue and his companions set out for Konoha, where Ajisai’s traps repeatedly left him filthy but caused no serious harm.
• Moriyue met Naruto and Jiraiya, then toured Konoha with Naruto and learned that Naruto wanted to bring Sasuke back from Orochimaru.
• Sakura recognized Moriyue and Kazeki, and Naruto explained that Moriyue had come to help hunt Orochimaru, easing Sakura’s suspicions.
• Moriyue, Kazeki, Yugito Nii, Kaede, Naruto, and Sakura ate at Ichiraku Ramen and discussed the coming operation against Orochimaru.
• Yugito Nii and Kaede left to handle their responsibilities, while Moriyue asked Kazeki to guard his body as he sent his soul out with the Black-faced Sheep.
• Moriyue chose Tsunade over Danzo as his target, entered Tsunade’s dream, and saw her younger self waiting alone beside a river.

Moriyue searched Tsunade’s dream for intelligence, learning about recent events and destroying a monument tied to her memories before she woke. The next morning, he joined Naruto’s group as Yamato and Sai were assigned to the Sasuke search, while Kazeki challenged Naruto’s insistence on bringing Sasuke back; the team prepared to leave Konoha that afternoon.

• Moriyue followed Tsunade through her dream to a flower field with memorials for Dan and her younger brother, then used the Black-faced Sheep to enter her memories and learn about Gaara’s rescue and the coming search for Sasuke.
• Moriyue attached a damaged notebook to Dan’s monument, destroying it as Tsunade’s dream turned hostile; Tsunade woke in tears with a vague sense that she had forgotten someone important.
• Moriyue met Naruto and Hinata, then learned from Tsunade that Yamato would lead the search for Sasuke and that Sai, sent by Danzo, would join the group.
• Naruto objected to Sai replacing Sasuke, and Sakura punched Sai after he insulted Sasuke; Yamato intervened and ordered the group to prepare to leave that afternoon.
• Kazeki questioned Naruto’s plan to force Sasuke back to Konoha, arguing that friendship did not mean controlling someone else’s choices; Moriyue supported her and led her away.

Moriyue’s group joined Yamato’s team on the journey to Tenchi Bridge, where Ajisai attacked and was captured by Moriyue. At the bridge, Yamato’s meeting with Kabuto erupted into a battle with Orochimaru, and Naruto lost control to the Nine-Tails; after Orochimaru escaped, Moriyue pursued him with a sample of Naruto’s chakra.

• Moriyue and Kazeki left Konoha with Yamato, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai to investigate Orochimaru and Sasuke at Tenchi Bridge.
• Moriyue chased down Ajisai, defeated her summoned bull, and took her with him after altering her allegiance.
• Moriyue’s group split from Yamato’s team, and the two groups reunited at Tenchi Bridge when Kabuto arrived to meet Yamato disguised as Sasori.
• Orochimaru appeared, Naruto attacked him and transformed under the Nine-Tails’ chakra, and Sakura was knocked unconscious while Yamato tried to contain Naruto.
• Orochimaru wounded Naruto and escaped with Kabuto; Moriyue then pursued them with Kazeki and Ajisai, carrying a sample of Naruto’s chakra.

After Sai told Yamato that Moriyue and the others had attacked him, Yamato chose to pursue Orochimaru rather than intervene in their dispute. Moriyue, Ajisai, and Kazeki met Orochimaru and Kabuto, and Moriyue handed over Danzo’s proposal and intelligence, leaving the two sides ready to do business.

• Yamato moved the unconscious Naruto and injured Sakura aside, then decided to go after Orochimaru because he wanted to stop the experiments that had once been done to him.
• Ajisai struggled to land Archaeopteryx, dismissed it in midair, and summoned a panda to cushion the group’s crash beside a river.
• Orochimaru appeared behind Moriyue, Ajisai, and Kazeki, examined Ajisai’s hand mark, and called her promising experimental material.
• Moriyue gave Orochimaru the backpack containing Danzo’s letters and ANBU intelligence, explaining that Danzo wanted to work with him and had sent someone after them.
• Orochimaru accepted the intelligence, while Kabuto openly expressed hostility toward Moriyue and praised the chance to work with Orochimaru.

Moriyue met Sasuke in Orochimaru’s Underground Palace and provoked him to test his strength. Sasuke’s Genjutsu failed against Moriyue’s soul power, and the chapter ended with Sasuke trapped in Moriyue’s terrifying counterattack.

• Moriyue followed Orochimaru, Ajisai, and Kazeki through the Underground Palace to meet Sasuke.
• Sasuke ignored Moriyue and asked Orochimaru to train him, but Moriyue taunted him about Itachi and the Uchiha Clan Massacre Night.
• Sasuke cast a Genjutsu on Moriyue and ordered him to kill himself, but Moriyue turned the sword against Sasuke instead.
• Moriyue revealed the Black-faced Sheep and explained that its soul power could defend against spiritual attacks such as Genjutsu.
• Sasuke became trapped in Moriyue’s chain-filled illusion as Moriyue confronted him: “So you're the damn Uchiha Sasuke?”

Moriyue defeated Sasuke’s Genjutsu and taunted him, prompting Orochimaru to leave Sasuke in Moriyue’s care for training. Sasuke agreed to train with Moriyue in hopes of learning how to face Itachi, but Moriyue demanded payment before he would teach him.

• Ajisai checked on Moriyue while Kazeki treated him, and Orochimaru applauded before telling Sasuke that Moriyue would train him.
• Orochimaru left with Kabuto, while Sasuke realized that other Chakra inside Moriyue had disrupted his Genjutsu.
• Moriyue mocked Sasuke’s Genjutsu and compared him unfavorably to Itachi, while Ajisai and Kazeki prepared to intervene.
• Sasuke lowered his sword and asked Moriyue to train him because he hoped Moriyue could help him defeat Itachi.
• Moriyue said he would teach Sasuke only if Sasuke offered payment.